KNOXVILLE, Tenn — A celebration of life is set for a former University of Tennessee athletics director who died earlier in November.
Mike Hamilton was 60 years old when he died after complications from a liver transplant, following a battle with bile duct cancer. A celebration of life is set for Dec. 11, with doors opening at 1:30 p.m. and the service starting at 2 p.m. It will be in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium, with Rick Dunn from Fellowship Church in Knoxville officiating.
Hamilton will be privately buried.
He was born on Aug. 13, 1963, and eventually started serving as UT's athletics director in July 2003.
According to Hamilton's UT Sports biography, he became athletics director for UT in July 2003. The biography says he worked to foster a more "fan-friendly" environment within the university and launched "Ask Mike." The email hotline gave fans a way to send comments, suggestions and concerns to Hamilton through the UT Athletics website.
“It’s a sad day for everyone here on Rocky Top with the loss of Mike Hamilton,” UT Director of Athletics and Vice Chancellor Danny White said in a statement. "Everyone who was fortunate to spend time with Mike knew how special the University of Tennessee was to him. He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mike’s family and loved ones.”
Under Hamilton's eight-year tenure as athletics director, the Vols placed in the top 16 in the NACDA Directors' Cup six times, including two top-10 finishes, according to a statement issued by UT Athletics.
"Rest in peace my friend," UT System President Randy Boyd said. "We loved and were inspired by your passionate services to Blood Water Mission, to those in need in Africa, and to every community in which you lived. I'm sorry we never got to start our African Baseball League but maybe it can still happen in your honor one day."
The men’s basketball program also reached new heights under Hamilton’s leadership and reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2010—the program’s most successful season on record, according to the statement. The basketball program also won the 2008 SEC Championship and achieved the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking that same year.
Hamilton extended the ticket office hours for the 2005-2006 season and started implementing an improved online ticket ordering system. In 2004 he also unveiled a plan to renovate Neyland Stadium, creating revenue streams to fund renovation projects. He also led work to improve an aquatic center, Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center and Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Hamilton announced his resignation as Athletics Director in 2011.
NBC affiliate Local 3 News in Memphis reported that Hamilton resigned from Tennessee after an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations by former basketball coach Bruce Pearl and former football coach Lane Kiffin.
After serving as Athletics Director, he became president of U.S. operations for Blood:Water Mission, a Nashville-based nonprofit that worked to provide clean water and prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa.